Super Metroid was made available to Wii U owners for a measly 30c/30p earlier in the year as part of the Famicom 30th Anniversary celebrations and many people snapped it up straight away.

The Super Nintendo classic was the home console successor to the popular NES title Metroid, which looks set to be making an appearance on the North American Wii U Virtual Console next week - if Nintendo's website is to be believed.

It's been listed for release on 11th July and will set you back $4.99.

Metroid sees you take control of Samus Aran as she infiltrates the space pirate's home planet, Zebes. During her exploration she comes face to face with the famous Kraid and her arch-nemesis, Ridley.

Its release has not been officially announced by Nintendo and website listings have been incorrect before, however, it looks as though Metroid will be on its way soon.

Meanwhile, the Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign is coming towards its end. Yoshi is currently the game in the spotlight and it'll be on the cheap until 11th July. The final game in the promotion is Donkey Kong, which will be available on 15th July

Will you be downloading Metroid should it become available? Let us know your thoughts on it in the comment section below.

As for now I don't know one person who doesn't had multiple port of this game already. Nintendo could pretty much just give this one for free. It's an awesome game no doubt about that but with Super Metroid already out, there's just no reason to sell this one except to milk in cash. If you got an NES (original), GBA & DS (in Zero Mission or the NES Classic Ripoff Series), GCN (via Prime), 3DS (Ambassador Program or 3DS VC), and/or Wii (via VC), you probably play this game in one form or another already.

@KorgothWere not talking about Prime. The 1st Metroid (nes) is coming out on Wii U. It was remade on GBA and called Zero Mission. . . new levels, enemies and obviously better graphics. My question is why do Nintendo not skip giving us the nes game (which hasn't aged well) and give us Zero Mission instead!

Now stop waisting time Nintendo and M-O-V-E the piiiip Wii VC to Wii U, why shold we start to wait AGAIN for all Classic games, this game was released on wii vc in 2007 Dammit, this game is freebee in other metroid games like Metroid prime. In MP it was a nice Flashback from my youth, now I have played the game so much its almost boring.

Got it as an ambassador on 3DS. Oddly, this is the only game in the series that I don't like. It feels bland, frustrating, and boring especially given the fact that almost every area looks the same, and the controls feel really stiff. Personally, I give it a 5/10. I wish they'd release Zero Mission for 3DS VC (along with a lot of other GBA games). To me, that's the first Metroid done right.

Though this game is a bit more confusing than the other entries in the series I still highly recommend it for people who want to find out how Metroid got its start. I had quite a bit of fun with it when I played it on my 3ds, though I do recommend a guide if you do get too confused to continue.

@Newtwo probably not a great place to start, this is one of the few Metroid games I haven't played but for a modern gamer it is probably just going to be frustrating. Super Metroid on the Wii U still has the retro difficulty level but seems to be a far smoother and less punishing game. You can't go wrong with the Prime series though.

Metroid was and still is a good game to play. Despite it looking like such an ancient relic, this is where the series started. For those of you complaining about Nintendo offering this game again, there are still people who haven't played it. And, when Nintendo does start offering GBA games onto the 3DS VC, they will be wise to include Metroid Zero Mission and Metroid Fusion as they both are excellent titles.

@Newtwo back in the 80's, this WAS a hard game to play through as there were no guides or the internet to help you guide your way. But it encouraged you to explore it and find out where to go and what items/weapons to use on your own. If you're going to play this game, bring along a lot of patience.

@Newtwo I'd suggest Super Metroid over it. The original game will frustrate you unless you really know what you're doing.

Also, wow they're re-releasing Metroid! I've never seen that before! ...except I had Metroid Prime, Fusion and the GBA/GCN cable...and the GBA remake...and the original version inside the GBA remake...and the NES re-release on GBA...and it was on Wii's virtual console...and 3DS...

No need for that. The gamers, well, people who call themselves gamers these day just cheat their way through everything they play then for some reason think they've accomplished something other then cheating... for some odd reason they think they've beaten the games they play!

Great title and well worth the upgrade fee (if you have it on Wii VC already) but if they keep releasing VC titles at this snail-ish pace there's little chance in even seeing a Wii U repeat of the Wii's VC library, let alone all the great classics the Wii's VC ignored.

The only NES games I want to play (60hz or not at all) that I haven't are :

Castlevania III (Or maybe I should just forget the series after Rondo of Blood being close to perfect regardless of it being completely untranslated.)Crisis Force (Konami - Famicom)Crystalis (Although Probably Rather play the Gameboy Color remake).

All the others the NES version is much worse (Dragon Warrior I, II, III might as well play the Super Famicom version (translated by Square Enix - Not going to happen) or the Game Boy Color version (More likely to happen).

Not bothered about playing anything on the NES that has a much better PC Engine / TG16 version or that is an Arcade port that is nowhere near as good as the real thing.

@Grubdog I love the original Metroid but it does NOT hold up as well as Metroid Prime for me at all. The original Metroid has pretty bad pacing and is unforgiving enough to be annoying at several times through one play through. Granted it's one of my favorite games of all time, but Metroid Prime is an amazingly well-balanced, well-paced, gripping game with environments and atmosphere that still holds up great even though visuals have come so far since its release. (I'm talking about the version on Trilogy which is nicely enhanced with the more interactive and satisfying wii remote aiming.) Ultimately, it's just more fun while the original can feel like labor at times.

Anyway, the other Metroid Primes never matched the original for me. Super Metroid, and maybe even Zero Mission beat the original Metroid for me but I have and will play them all over and over and I will probably buy this just for the convenience.

Hope Zero Mission comes to Wii U as one of the early GBA games that are apparently coming.

What I REALLY want is a great new Metroid game for either 3DS or Wii U or both as soon as possible.

@Newtwo I'd suggest Metroid Zero Mission or Metroid Fusion as the starting point for 2D Metroid game if you can. If not then I would recommend Super Metroid. I would say Metroid 2 before Metroid for my opinion for 2D Metroid games. Metroid series, Metroid Prime series and Metroid Other M are very different games to let you know.

@Super_GravyPlaying them in story chronological order would be neat but so confusing. lol. You'd have to be really dedicated to do that, imo.

Most gamers who aren't comfortable with a lot of NES era games should probably start on Metroid Zero Mission (if you enjoy 2D platformers) or Metroid Prime (if you don't enjoy 2D games). If you are ONLY going to play one, I'd do Super Metroid. It's the gold standard of the series that all others are compared to, even the Prime games oddly enough.

If you are going to play the original (the one this article is about) try and go at it hardcore first. See if you are tough enough to figure it all out with no aid. THAT is the experience that sucked people in. It forces you to absorb the game a bit more and really feel the progression as you gain more skills. Get some graph paper out.

Now, if you get too frustrated, then look up a map or a strategy guide and try to use that sparingly. Probably best to just get a map.

Starting with a code is just a horrible way to play this game in particular. If you are going to do that, I'd just skip it altogether and play another game in the series or watch a video of the whole game.